Spectacle hinge

ABSTRACT

A spectacle hinge incorporating interleaved hinge members and a hinge pin passing pivotally therebetween wherein the hinge pin is provided with projecting means providing an interlocking relationship with one of the hinge members in normal positions of spectacle operation or storage in a manner preventing inadvertent hinge disassembly.

United States Patent References Cited inventor John N. Liautaud' [56] Glenview, Ill. Appl 840,426 UNITED STATES PATENTS Filed July 9, 1969 2,933,016 4/1960 Kunde etal 351/121 X Patented July 20, 1971 FOREIGN PATENTS Assgnee g' f 124,686 4/1919 Great Britain 16/169 Primary Examiner-David Schonberg Assistant Examiner-John W. Leonard Attorney-Hill, Sherman, Meroni, Gross & Simpson SPECTACLEHINGE 6 Chum 5 on g ABSTRACT: A spectacle hinge incorporating interleaved US. Cl. 351/141, hinge members and a hinge pin passing pivotally therebetween 16/ 128 A, 16/169, 351/116, 351/153 wherein the hinge pin is provided with projecting means Int. Cl G021: 5/22 providing an interlocking relationship with one of the hinge Field of Search 391/1 1 1, members in normal positions of spectacle operation or storage 140, 116, 141, 121, 153; 16/128, 169 in a manner preventing inadvertent hinge disassembly.

I fie v I i SPECTACLE HINGE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Spectacle frames have long been manufactured with a main frame portion having two lenses and two temples pivotally attached thereto. In prior art devices, the temples are pivotally secured to the main frame by way of hinge members. The hinge members comprise interleaved hinge plates respectively secured to the main frame and a temple, and a generally vertically disposed hinge pin passing through the interleaved portions by way of aligned apertures. Typically, such hinge assemblies incorporate a'pin having a threaded portion arranged for cooperation with a threaded portion in the hinge. Unfortunately, in heavy-duty use, continued oscillation of the temple relative to the frame often causes loosening of the screwand loss of the pin. Many techniques have been proposed for overcoming such inadvertent disassembly. The structure of the present invention provides a hinge with substantially complete retentivity. Further, in at least one embodiment the hinge pin employed in accordance with the present invention is compatible with prior art threaded hinge barrels and may be substituted in the field for such prior art threaded hingepins.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION that the apertures on the individual leaves of-both hinge members are in alignment. Following this alignment, a pin is passed into position in the aligned apertures. In accordance with the present invention, the hinge pin has radial projections at one 'or more points in its periphery constructed to mate with radial recesses in hinge leaves of both hinge members. The pin is preferably constructed of a relatively hardand corrosion-resistant material of a hardness equal to or greater-than the hardness of the hinge plate material. After the hinge members have beeninterleaved and the apertures and the recesses therein aligned in an abnormal temple position, the pin is pushed into the aperture with the protrusions ultimately seating in the mating recess or recesses of one of the hinge mem bers. In the final position, each protrusion on the pin is seated in a single hinge leaf and when the temple is pivoted away from the recess-aligned or abnormal position, the pin cannot fall axially out of the hinge. l have found that this interlocking relationship provides a combination in which the pin remains fixed against axial removal in use. The pin is-not rotational in the hinge and has no apparent means of being disassembled. If desired, however, the pin may be provided with an extension which projects through the end of the hinge barrel for cooperation with a plier for simplification of removal.

It is, accordingly, an object of the present invention to provide an improved spectacle hinge and hinge pin providing a substantially improved construction preventing inadvertent disassembly.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS As shown on the drawings,

FIG. I is an isometric view ofa spectacle assembly;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view, taken along the line Il-lI of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along the line III-III of FIG. II;

FIG. 4 is a detailed elevational view of the hinge pin of the present invention; and

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the pin shown in FIG. 4 taken along the line V-V showing recess alignment.

2 DETAILED DESCRIPTION As can be seen from a consideration ofFIGS, 5, a I

preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a hinge pin 10 pivotally securing hinge members 11 and 12 attached respectively to the main spectacle frame I3. and, temples 14. The hinge plates 11 and 12 may be conventional, if desired, and may be secured in any conventional manner to the frame and temple, respectively. In the embodiment illustpated, rivets 15 are satisfactorily employed for this purpose. When conventional hinge members 11 and 12 are employed, the lowermost hinge leaf or barrel III; is provided with a threaded portion IIc having a standard thread. Such a thread cooperates with a standard threaded screw pin but forms no part of the combination of the present invention in which the pin is unthreaded.

The hinge pin generally illustrated at 10 comprises an enlarged head portion 20 and a shank portion 21 which is substantially cylindrical and a round cross section. Protrusions or ears 22 are provided on the periphery of the pin, as by staking or cold die-forming which flows the pin material from the main shank 21 into the projections 22 leaving slight depressions 23 from which the material has flowed. In effect, the ears are thus formed by pinching the surface ofthe shank 2] in the preferred embodiment. However, itwill be understood that the protrusions may be provided by welding or other means, if desired.

In accordance with the present invention, the uppermost hinge leaf or barrel '1 la is slotted as at lld shown in FIGS. 3

and 5. Similarly, the leafl2a is providedwith a slot 12d. These slots .l Id and 12d accommodate the projections 22 and permit, when the slots 11d and 12d are'aligned, the passage of the pin 20 with theprojections 22 thereon into the assembled position shown in FIG. 3. If the slots lld and 12d are constructed somewhat larger than the projections 22, the pin 20 may be removed, when the slots lld and 12d are aligned, merely by applying an upward displacement pressure or by turning the hinge upside down. However, the likelihood of such a disassembly in accordance with the present invention is overcome by providing the'slots lld and I211 in circumferential positions that are aligned only when the frame and temple members are in an unusual or abnormal relative position. Spectacles are ordinarily either folded for carrying in a pocket or a spectacle case, or open for position on the wearer. These two conditions may beconsidercd "normal conditions. Positioning of the temple within the approximately 90of are between the normal-open and normal-folded position would place the temple in an abnormal condition. Similarly, if the temple were forced toward the frame beyond the normal folded condition by flexing the temple, a further abnormal position would be provided. In accordance with the present invention,.alignment of the slots lld and I2d is provided when the hinge portions are in an abnormal condition. Accordingly, in the normal conditions of position in which the spectacles are used or in a state of nonuse, the slots are out of alignment and it is impossible for the pin to move axially out of assembled relation. It will be observed that when the pin is in its assembled condition, the slots lld are hidden below the head 21 a ofthe pin and, accordingly, unless the user of the spectacle knows the precise position of alignment, he will be unable to remove the pin.

Since flexing of the temple toward the frame beyond the normal folded condition is unlikely, and since the normal spring of the temples will make such a motion almost impossible as a result of inadvertence, it is preferred that alignment of the slots lld and 12d be provided for in such a position as shown in FIG. 5. There, the temple I4 is forced several degrees closer to the frame 13 than the normal folded condition. With the parts in this position the pin may be dropped into the aligned apertures of the hinge parts or, alternatively, simply removed.

As above described, the protrusions 22 are slightly smaller than the slots 11d and 12d. Since the pin I is preferably ofa harder material than the hinge barrels, the protrusions 22 may be constructed in the form ofa self-breaching projection. As thus constructed, the downward or leading edge 2211 as shown in FIG. 4 is preferably square with a slight relief as shown at 22b in a somewhat exaggerated form. With the parts thus constructed the pin may be forced downwardly through leaf lla into leaf 12d therebelow cutting the slot as it goes. In accordance with the present invention, the hinge parts would be positioned in an abnormal condition at the time of this forced insertion and upon rotation of the hinge parts, withdrawal of the pin would be prevented by the upper edge 220 of the projection 22just as in the case earlier described.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that a single projection 22 may be employed rather than a pair as illustrated. Further, it will similarly be clear that more than one of the leaves 11a and 12a may be slotted. In this latter event, it is preferred that where two pairs of leaves are slotted, two axially spaced projections be provided, with the spacing at least as great or slightly greater than the thickness of the intermediate leaf.

It will be apparent from the above, that l have provided a novel, extremely simple, and inexpensive hinge, particularly adapted to heavy-duty safety glasses or the like. Further variations and modifications may be made in accordance with the present invention without departing from the spirit thereof and it is intended, accordingly, that the invention be limited solely by that of the hereinafter appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

I. In combination in spectacles comprising a frame having a pair of temples pivotally movable relative thereto and normally in either folded condition for storage or extended posi tion for wearing, a hinge member on each temple for cooperation with'a respective hinge member on the frame, cooperating hinge members having in combination at least three inter leaved portions apertured to accept a pivot pin, a generally cylindrical pivot pin for cooperation with said interleaved portions, said pin having at least one radial projection thereon and both said cooperating hinge members having slots in the top two interleaved portions opening into said apertures to pass said projection, said slots being axially aligned only when said hinge members are out of said normal conditions.

2. The structure of claim 1 wherein said pin has a plurality of projections.

3. The structure of claim 2 wherein said projections are diametrically opposed.

4. The structure of claim 1 wherein said slots are aligned when said temples are folded toward said frame beyond the normal folded condition.

5. The structure of claim 1 wherein said slots are aligned when said temples are in a pivoted condition between normal open and normal folded condition.

6. The structure of claim 1 wherein said projection comprises a material harder than the material of said interleaved portions and has its axially forwardly facing edge operable to form said slots in the interleaved portions upon axial movement of the pin with said projection into said interleaved portrons. 

1. In combination in spectacles comprising a frame having a pair of temples pivotally movable relative thereto and normally in either folded condition for storage or extended position for wearing, a hinge member on each temple for cooperation with a respective hinge member on the frame, cooperating hinge members having in combination at least three interleaved portions apertured to accept a pivot pin, a generally cylindrical pivot pin for cooperation with said interleaved portions, said pin having at least one radial projection thereon and both said cooperating hinge members having slots in the top two interleaved portions opening into said apertures to pass said projection, said slots being axially aligned only when said hinge members are out of said normal conditions.
 2. The structure of claim 1 wherein said pin has a plurality of projections.
 3. The structure of claim 2 wherein said projections are diametrically opposed.
 4. The structure of claim 1 wherein said slots are aligned when said temples are folded toward said frame beyond the normal folded condition.
 5. The structure of claim 1 wherein said slots are aligned when said temples are in a pivoted condition between normal open and normal folded condition.
 6. The structure of claim 1 wherein said projection comprises a material harder than the material of said interleaved portions and has its axially forwardly facing edge operable to form said slots in the interleaved portions upon axial movement of the pin with said projection into Said interleaved portions. 